Well-drilling engine



May 22, 1928. 1,670,596

' W. SHELDON WELL DRILLING ENGINE Filed April 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

29W hdam/ A a I W ATTORNEY -May 22, 1928.

W. SHELDON WELL DRILLING ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1927 I N V EN TOR.

Syn/ 1M ATTORNEI Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALDO SHELDON, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

WELL-DRILLING ENGINE.

Application filed April 19, 1927; Serial No. 184,846.

rotary table, the table being mounted on one end of a sled-like frame and the motor being mounted on the opposite end of the same frame.

Special objects of the invention are to provide a motor especially suited to this particular combination;' which will have ample power for the purpose; which will have its weight distributed to the best advantage; be relatively free from vibration,

will be compact, fully accessible, well balanced on the frame and so arranged as to readily provide the desired speed ratios for driving the table, the hoisting drum, catheads and other drilling adjuncts.

These objects and others equally desirable are attained by a novel combination and .tures, including in particular, the mounting of the engine cylinders directly over the side beams of the frame at an angle to 90 degrees to each other, with the crankshaft journaled above and substantially over the longitudinal center of the frame and sprocket gearing of difierent gear ratios extending from this overhead shaft down to a.

'main drive shaft for the table and hoistjournaled substantially on the longitudinal center of the frame.

Additional important novel features will appear as the specification proceeds.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification illustrate one practical commercial embodiment of the invention, but as thisillustrrtion is primarily for purposes of disclosure, it will be understood that various structural modifications and changes may be made without departure 7 from the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

.Figure 1 is. a side elevation of the complete drilling unit with the engine embodied as a part of the same..

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on substantially the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1. i

As best shown in Figure 1, the machlne is built up on a sled-like frame-having side sills and beams 5 in the nature of runners enabling the unit to be skidded into position on the cross beams 6 of the derrick Mounted on one end of the frame isthe plications, having a drive sleeve 9 slidingly keyed in the table carrying clamping means 10 engaging the drill pipe 11 and adapted to be raised, lowered and held as required by pressure applying connections from the annular piston in the annular power cylinder 12.

The table is rotated by a bevel pinion 13 on the end of a drive shaft 14 journaled in bearings-15cm substantially ,the longi- 'tudinal center line of the frame. This shaft is shown as having a clutch 16 by which ro tation of the table is controlled. The engine for driving the table and hoist is mounted upon the opposite e'nd of the frame and comprises a pair of cylinders 17 mounted over the side beams and arranged arrangement of parts and special novel feaat substantially a degree angle, said cylinders containing pistons 18 having rods 19,-

rods 20 extend to the crank21 of the power shaft 22. This power shaft is journaled substantially on the longitudinal center line of the frame above and parallel to the drive shaft 14; and is connected with said drive shaft in the illustration by sprocket chains 23, 24 running from sprocket pinions 25, 26 down over sprocket gears 27, 28 on the drive shaft. The gears in these two drive sets are of different size so as to provide a two-speed drive from the power shaft down to the drive shaft and provision is made for selective use of either drive, in the present disclosure, by means ofa sliding positive jaw clutch member. 29 keyed on the drive shaft between gears'27, 28 and adapted to be-coupled in engagement with either by the pivoted shifting lever 30.

The power shaft is shown as journaled in bearings 31 carried by the upright triangular frames 32, 33, 34 having their bases sethis end section 14* of the drive shaft. This cured on the bed plate 35. This bed plate-is end shaft section is shown as coupled with the main shaft section by a flexible coupling 38. This enables the engine to be readily. 1,-1.0

uncoupled from the main section of [the drive shaft and be removed as a complete entity. The bed plate and upright frames constitute a rigid frame for holding the cylinders, power shaft and drive shaft section '1 in proper relation when the engine is separated from the main frame.

The positioning of r the engine cylinders directly over the side beams brings the main weight of, the engine down to a low level and locates such Weight in balanced relation at the sides of the frame. This construction tary table at the opposite end of the frame and these facts, with the lowered center of gravity produce a drive that is practically.

ree of vibration.

The location of the engine at the far end of the frame from the rotary also provides ample space at the intermediate portion of the framefor the hoist drum 39 and cat- 1 heads 40 which are driven by suitable gearing from the main. drive shaft 14.

The convergently inclined cylinders are shown as rem-ovably' mounted on the lower portions of the two outermost uprights 32, 33 and the crank'of the engine shaft operates between-bearings carried by these two uprights. The driving sprockets 25, 26 are mounted on an extension of the crankshaft between bearings carried by the intermediate and inner uprights 33, 34, In this way proper alinement and free operation is maintained and all parts are accessible and open to inspection and repair. The engine bed may be bolted or otherwise suitably seeured on the side beams in such a way that it may be readily removed from or mounted upon the frame.

\ What is'claimed is 1'. A well drilling engine comprising in combination, a frame having side beams, a rotary table mounted at one end of the frame over said side beams, engine cylinders mounted at the opposite end of the frame over the side beams and inclined upwardly and inwardly on a convergent angle,

a power shaft operated from said cylinders and mounted over the longitudinal centerline of the frame, a drive shaft arranged substantially on the longitudinal center line of the frame and extending from beneath said power shaft to the rotary table and sproc et gearing extending from-the overhead power shaft down to'the drive shaft beneath the same and controllable to operate said drive shaft at different speeds relative h tot-he engine shaft.

2. A well drilling engine comprisin .a frame having side beams, a. bed piste mountedon said side beams at one end bf the frame, a rotary table mounted on said bed plate, beams at the opposite end of the frame, upright frames on said last bed plate, an en'- gine shaft carried by said upright frames, convergently arranged engine cylinders carried by the power connections with the overhead engine shaft, a drive shaft including a sectlon ournaled on the engine bed plate below the engine shaft and a section coupled thereto and a bed platemounted on the sideupright frames and having extending to the rotary table at the upper end of the frame and gearing from the overhead engine shaft down to sand first mentioned drive shaft section.

3. A. well drilling engine comprising a frame having side beams, a bed plate mounted on said side beams at one end of the frame, a rotary table mounted on said bed plate, a bed plate mounted on the side beams at the opposite end of the frame, up-

right frames on said last bed plate, an engine shaft carried by said upr' ht frames, convergently arranged engine'cy inders carried by the upright frames and having power connections With the overhead'engine I shaft, a drive shaft including a section ]0111'- naled on the engine bed plate below the engine shaft and a section coupled thereto and extending to the rotary table atthe upper end of the frame and gearing from the overhead engine shaft down to said first mentioned drive shaft section,-said gearing including sprocket chains and gears on'the engine shaft and drive shaft section controllable to operate the drive shaft at different speeds relative to the engine shaft.

4. A well 'drilling engine comprising an engine base having substantially triangular uprights, an engine shaft journaled at the head of said uprights, convergently inclined engine cylinders mounted at the base of said uprights and having power connections with the overhead shaft, a drive shaft mounted 3 on the engine base beneath the engine shaft and back gearing from the overhead engine shaft down to said drive shaft.

5. A well drilling engine comprising an engine base having substantially triangular uprights, an engine shaft journa'led at the head of said uprights, convergently inclined eng ne cylinders mounted at the base of said uprights andhaving power connections with the overhead shaft, a drive shaft mounted on the engine base beneath the engine shaft and back gearlng from the overhead engine shaft dewn to said drive shaft, including sprocket pinions on said engine shaft, sprocket gears on said drive shaft, sprocket chains extendmg from the pinions on the engine shaft over the gears on the drive-shaft and clutch means for selectively rendering the different sets of gearuggoperative to drive the drive shaft.

engine bed, cylinders mounted at opposite sides of said bed and arranged man up- \vardly convergent angle, a crank shaft mounted over the bed, power connections" from the engine cylinders to said crank shaft, gears on said overhead crank shaft, 9. drive shaft mounted on the engine, bed beneath the overhead drive shaft and gears on said drive shaft coupled in driven relation to the gears on the overhead crank shaft.

7. A well drilling engine comprising an engine bed, cylinders mounted at opposite sides of said bed and arranged on an upwardly convergent angle, a crank shaft mounted over the bed, power connections.

from the engine cylinders to said crank shaft, gears on said overhead crank shaft, a drive shaft mounted on the engine bed beneath the overhead drive shaft, gears on said drive. shaft coupled in driven relation to the gears on the overhead crank shaft, a frame having side beams spaced to receive and support opposite side portions of said engine. bed, a rotary table journaled on said-frame, a shaft. journaled on the frame for driving a said rotary table and a couplingbetween'said shaft and the drive shaft on the en-gine bed. In testimony .whereof I 'hereby affix my signature. a v

a WALDO SHELDON. 

